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Indian stars KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and skipper Shubman Gill have some milestones to unlock as they prepare for the first Test against South Africa at Kolkata from Friday onwards.
The first Test between India and South Africa will take place from Friday onwards at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. After a home series win against West Indies and a draw against England at their backyard by 2-2, India will be aiming to continue what has been a very promising run in the ICC World Test Championship so far. Shubman is 161 runs away from completing the 3,000-run mark in Tests. In 39 Tests, he has scored 2,839 runs at an average of 43.01, with 10 centuries and eight fifties, with his best score of 269. The skipper is enjoying a purple patch in Tests this year, scoring 979 runs in 15 innings at an average of 69.92, with a strike rate of over 63, including five centuries and a fifty, with the best score of 269 runs. Also, KL and Jadeja are heading towards the 4,000 mark in Tests. In 65 Tests, KL has made 3,985 runs at an average of 36.55, with 11 centuries and 20 fifties, with a best score of 199. He is enjoying a brilliant run of form as an opener this year. This has been his best year in the format, with 745 runs in 15 innings at an average of 53.21 in eight Tests, including three centuries and three fifties and a best score of 137. On the other hand, Jadeja has scored 3,990 runs at an average of 38.73 in 87 Tests, with six centuries and 27 fifties and best score of 175*. In eight matches this year, he has scored 659 runs at an average of 82.37, with two centuries and five fifties and is in form of his life. The all-rounder, who also has 338 Test wickets at an average of 25.21, is just 12 wickets away from the milestone of 350 wickets and he could become the second Indian after Kapil Dev to have a double of 4,000 Test runs and 350 wickets in the format. India Test squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep South Africa squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne Series schedule: First Test - November 14-18, KolkataSecond Test - November 22-26, Guwahati. (ANI)
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